Spinning-top.



No. 858,415. PATBNTED JULY 2. 1907.

, H. DB 1.. RAPSON.

SPINNING'TOP. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2'], 1907.

. WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOBART DE LANOEY RAPSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPINNING-TOP.

Application filed To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOBART DE LANCEY RAPSON, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inSpinning- Tops, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to spinning tops and consists of certainimprovements which are fully set forth in the following specificationand shown in the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a construction of top whichwill permit automatic mechanical connecting of two tops, one upon theother, when the one thrown in the act of spinning strikes. the middle ofthe other top which is spinning upon the ground.

Myinvention consists in a top furnished with. a clutch having movableparts arranged in the upper part of the body and adapted to grip thepoint of another top should it strike the clutching device.

My invention also consists in the top structure above specified whenfurther provided with a cover plate having a central guiding apertureand arranged on the body of the top immediately above the clutch device.

My invention also comprehends details of construction which, togetherwith the features above specified, will be better understood byreference to the drawings, in which: I

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a top embodying my improvements;Fig. 2 is a plan view of my improved top with the cover plate removed;Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cover plate; and Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the clutch device.

A is the body of the top and may be made of wood in the usual manner.

B is the iron point and is formed with a neck b immediately above thelargest portion. The upper part of the body is bored out, as at C, to aconsiderable depth and the extreme upper part is enlarged by a furtherboring as at D torminga shouldered portion E. Arranged within the deepapertures G is the clutch F, and above this is the cover plate G, theperimeter of which is forced into contact with the shoulder E of the enlarged recessed portion. The central part of this cover plate G isprovided with an aperture H, and the boundary of this aperture issomewhat depressed as at I to form a tapering guide entrance. The clutchis shown in Fig. 4 and consists of a U-shaped piece of stamped steel Fhaving the upper ends of its arms bent inward toward each other as at JJ and the edges notched to form a slight opening K between them. Thewidth across the jaws .I I is somewhat less than the total width at thebottom so that they may be forced apart without coming in'contact withthe cover plate or upper portion of the recess C. The aperture K of theclutch F is located immediately below the center aperture of the coverplate G sothat the point B of a second top entering through the coverplate will center in the aperture Specification of Letters Patent.

March 27,1907. $erial No. 364,877.

Patented July 2, 1907.

K and force the two jaws apart. The cover plate G will limit theentering of the point of the top, and as these jaws .I J snap into thecollar b of the point of the second top, they effectually lock the twotops together but not with such force as to prevent them beingdisconnected when desired.

The cover plate G is preferably crowned, which not only imparts finish,but also adds to the strength and locates the aperture H immediately atthe top of the top.

Moreover, the crowning insures the cover plate making a tighter fit uponthe body of the top, and also under the action of blows upon it tends tomake its perimeter spread and lock more firmly upon the body.

The base of the clutch F is substantially square as indicated in Fig. 2,whereby the corners of this base exactly fit the walls of the recess 0and in this manner cen ter the clutch beneath the cover plate.

The essential feature of my invention is the providing I of a top withrelatively movable clutch jaws which are adapte to unite two tops whenone strikes the other and is moving in the direction of the axis of thespinning top; and while I have shown what I deem to be the mostsatisfactory and economical way of constructing the device, it isevident that the details may be modified without departing from thespirit oi the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a top having a solid body provided atits upper part with a clutch device comprising movable jaws for makinglocking engagement with the point of a second top which may strike it.

2. As an article of manufacture, a top having a solid body provided atits upper part with a clutch device comprising movable jaws for makinglocking engagement withthe point of a second top which may strike it,combined with a cover plate fitted to the upper part of the top abovethe clutch device and having a central guiding aperture.

3. A top having its upper part formed with a deep recess and the uppershouldered portion, combined with a clutch, having" movable spring jawsarranged within the deep recess, and a cover plate fitting theshouldered portion and extending over the clutch and provided with acentral aperture.

4. A top having its upper part formed with a deep recess and the uppershouldered portion, combined with a spring clutch having relativelymovable jaws arranged within the deep recess, and a cover plate fittingthe shouldered portion and extending over the clutch and provided with acentral aperturemade with tapering Walls to form a conical entrance overthe clutch.

5. A top having its upper part formed with a deep recess and the uppershouldered portion, combined with a spring clutch having relativelymovable jaws arranged within the deep recess, and a crowned cover platefitting the shouldered portion and extending over the clutch andprovided with a central aperture.

0. A top having its body part formed with a recess on its upper part,combined with a U-shaped clutch formed of sheet metal fitting the saidrecess so as to remain central thereof and having its upper edgesinwardly directed and forming a clutching aperture between them, andmeans to retain the spring clutch within the recess of the top body.

7. A top having its body part formed with a recess on its upper part,combined with a U-shaped clutch formed of sheet metal fitting the saidrecess so as to remain central thereof and having its upper edgesinwardly directed and forming a clutching aperture between them, andmeans to retain the spring clutch within the recess of the top bodyconsisting of a metallic plate having a central aperture and secured tothe body of the top over the recess and clutch.

8. An an article of manufacture, a top having a solid body provided atits upper portion with a movable spring jaw for holding the point of asecond top which may strike it.

In testimony of which invention, 1 have hereunto set my hand.

I-I. DE LANCEY RAlSON.

Witnesses R. M. KELLY, M. F. Dmsconn.

